Artist: Imogen Alabaster

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Imogen was born in 1984 in London and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2006, with a BA (Hons) in Drawing and Painting. She has a painting on permanent display at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, as well as several in private collections.

Through the use of subtle abstracted portraits, Imogen explores her relationships to those closest to her and tries to connect to the viewers - sharing with them her insecurities and dreams.

Imogen says: “I want my art to have a deeply personal and heartfelt appearance, but at the same time the idea of total honesty scares me. It is hard to find the confidence necessary to tell someone I love them. It is with this fear of revelation and rejection that I encode my images.”

Complexities are added with layered paint and fractured colours and textures, where she discreetly places small subtle creatures and ghostly self portraits, hidden amongst brushstrokes and paint splashes. The animals are mainly depictions of her childhood toys and ornaments, each one representing a different person who is significant to her.

This layering of paint, varnish and images creates multifaceted pieces which reflect the complicated and often confused emotional relationships we have with our surroundings, family and friends.

Imogen notes: “With my delicate abstract paintings I hope to connect with viewers, offering them a sensitive and subtle insight into my most honest thoughts.”

CV